Cattle oiler



Nov. 17, 1959 J. A. STARK CATTLE ,oILER Filed Aug. 12, 1957 INVENTOR. Ja//w Sfar/f H TTORNY United States Patent My'invention relates to a cattle oiler.

An object of my invention is to provide a cattle oiler f in which an angularly inclined rope wick is provided under-which the animal will vpass and upon which yrubbing action by the animal will actuate a suitable valve mechanism which will impregnate the rope with suitable insecticide oil as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a chain arrangement passing helically around the rope to thereby provide means for cleaning the dirt from the hide of the animal, the chain also acting as an additional rubbing and scratching medium.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which is under the desired spring tension.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the oil which passes into the rope will be uniformly fed as desired, and which will not be wasted.

A further object of my invention is to provide an economical arrangement.

With these and other objects in view, my inventon consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the valve mechanism,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

My invention contemplates the provision of an oiler for animals, especially cattle, which oil is in the nature of an insecticide to keep the animal in a clean, healthful condition, etc., and wherein the oiler has an automatic arrangement for controlling the rate of ow of oil into the rope wick.

I have used the character 10 to designate a vertically positioned post to which are attached a pair of members 11, upon which rests the insecticide oil 'containing can 12 having the lid 13 and the cap opening 14 for filling the can when desired. I have further used the character 15 to indicate a vertically positioned strap bolted at 16 to the can 12, and passing through the strap 15 is a short pipe 17 which communicates with a valve member 18 which in turn communicates with the elbow 19, the elbow 19 being attached to a valve member 20 having the arcuate portion 21 (see Figure 2), the portion 21 being closed by means of the pipe plug 22.

The valve portion 21 includes the ear 23 to which is pivotally attached at 24 a lever 25 which is substantially U-shaped in cross section and which bears against the plunger rod 26, which plunger rod passes upwardly through the valve member to open or close the opening therein to the desired regulated amount, the structure inside of the valve being well-known in the art.

Pivoted to the lever 25 at 27 is a vertically positioned bar 28 having the opening 29, the bar 28 passing through a slot 30 in the member 31 which extends from the valve body 20, the lever 25 terminating in the upwardly bent portion 32.

Attached to the vertically positioned strap 15 is a transverses trap 33 to which are welded the chain links 34, and received within the links 34 and at the bottom thereof are the further chain links 35 through which pass the terminals Vof the U-shaped bolt member 36, these terminals passing through the substantially U-shaped clamping members 37 having the top portion 38, the portions 37 including the arcuate portions 39 (see Figure 4). The members 38, 39 provide clamps for firmly clamping the ends of the fairly heavy rope 40, and positioned beneath the links 35 are the aforesaid portions 38, and tightly clamped between the links 35 and the portions 38 is a plate 41 terminating in the downwardly bent portion 42, which is adapted" to abut against the lever portion 32 of the member 25.

The character 43 indicates a clamp secured by means of the machine screw 44, which clamp passes around the end of the valve portion 21, and received between the clamp 43 and the portion 21 is an auxiliary smaller wick member 45, which is joined together at 46 and which extends into the portion 47, where it rests against the rope 40, the terminal portion 47 of the auxiliary wick being secured by means of the wire 48 which passes about the rope 40.

Passing through the transverse strap 33 and the strap 15 is a lengthened bolt 49 which passes through the post 10, and is secured at 50, thereby firmly securing the upper part of the arrangement.

Secured at 51 beneath the U-bolt 36 is one of the links of a continuous chain 52 which passes helically about the rope throughout its entire length, the character 53 indicating an end link which is secured by means of the bolt 54 to provide adjustment means whereby the end link 53 can be adjustably attached to limit undue movement of the plate 41 and valve portion 32.

The rope 40 passes angularly downwardly as shown, and attached to the rope at its lower terminal is a similar clamping arrangement 38, 39 except that it is reversed, the end of the chain 52 being attached at 55 to a spring 56, which spring is attached at 57 to a further chain portion 58 which is secured as at 59 to a further short post 60 which is imbedded in the ground, as is the post 10.

Attached at 61 to the chain portion 58 is a slackened chain portion 62 which is secured at 63 to the chain 52, and attached thereto is a further short chain portion 64 which is attached at 65 to the lower U-bolt 36, this arrangement providing means for protecting the chain in case of breakage, etc.

The device operates in the following manner. As the cow passes beneath the rope 40, it will move itself vigorously with the upper hide portions of the animal bearing against the rope at `a substantially medial location between the posts 10 and 60, and in its natural vigorous movement to scratch itself, the rope 40 will be forced upwardly, which in turn will cause the plate portion 42 of the plate 41 to bear against the valve lever portion 25 which will force the plunger 26 upwardly, thereby opening the valve and allowing oil from the container 12 to ow through the channel portion 25 and on to the wick 45, which wick 45 will then transfer the oil to the rope itself so that in this manner a uniform and gradual oil supply is assured which will not dry out etc., the animal automatically replenishing the supply.

In many cases in order to increase the flow of oil, the pipe plug 22 can be loosened slightly, allowing the oil to ow out of the member 21, so that in this manner any degree or rate of ow of the o il supply can be obtained. The helically arranged chain 52 provides means whereby the animals hide will be cleaned more eiciently and it spring y56 will maintain a uniform spring pressure at all times, the chain further acting as a desirable means for the animal to seek to rub against the arrangement due to the increased scratching elfect.

It will now be noted that I have provided the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being apparent.

Some changes may-be made in the construction andI arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalentsY which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

A cattle oiler comprising a support, an oil absorbing rope .secured to said support at an upper elevation, the other end of said rope being secured toward the ground level, said support including an oil ,receiving tank attached thereto, an auxiliary wick member receiving oil from said tank, said auxiliary wick member bearing against said rope, a valve to which said auxiliary wick mem-ber issecured, a pipe plug attached to said valve whereby loosening of said pipe plug will regulate the supply of oil passing to said auxiliary wick member, a plunger actuating said valve member, a pivotal plate, a lever pivoted to said valve member to actuate said plunger, said plate bearing against said lever member, said plate being pivoted adjaeently to said support, a chain passing helically about said Vrope throughout the length thereof, said auxiliary wick member being positioned adjacently to said lever.

References, Citedy in the, tilev of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,775 Kramer Oct. 9, 1956 2,766,726 Duif Oct. 16, 1956 2,777,421 Hiebert Ian. 15, 1957 2,800,108 Duff4 V July 23., 19.57 2,810,369- Assman etal. Oct. 2,2, 1957 2,825,305 Targa` Mar. 4,r 195s 2,845,897 Pelo. Aug. I5, 1958 

